Special Service and Features
Year End Review 2022: Chennai Air Customs
Chennai Air Customs has made a significant role in preventing smuggling of Gold, foreign currencies, Narcotic drugs and live exotic animals.
During Calendar year 2022, , 205.84 kgs of Gold valued at Rs. 94.22 Crores was seized in 293 cases and 97 persons were arrested in these cases. Majority of Gold smuggling takes place from Dubai, Sharjah and other gulf countries. Foreign Currency worth of Rs. 10.978 Crore was seized in 81 Cases in which 7 persons were arrested.
Beside this, 27.665 kgs of Narcotics valued about Rs.14.02 Crores was seized in 12 cases of attempted smuggling of Narcotic Drug. Major cases of drug smuggling including Cocaine, Methaqualone, Heroin, Ganja and MDMA in which 12 persons were arrested. Details of narcotics cases in which arrest was made is mentioned below:
|
|
S.No
|
|
Nationality
|
|
Arrived from country
|
|
Quantity

|
|
Narcotics substance
|
|
Modus
|
|
1
|
|
Heroin
|
|
Sharjah
|
|
1070
|
|
Uganda
|
|
Concealed in the form of capsules concealed inside inner garments
|
|
2
|
|
Heroin
|
|
Sharjah
|
|
940
|
|
Uganda
|
|
In form of capsules swallowed by the pax
|
|
3
|
|
Heroin
|
|
Sharjah
|
|
794.64
|
|
Uganda
|
|
In form of capsules swallowed by the pax
|
|
4
|
|
Heroin
|
|
Entebbe
|
|
1266
|
|
Tanzanian
|
|
In form of capsules swallowed by the pax
|
|
5
|
|
Cocaine
|
|
Addis Ababa
|
|
1218
|
|
Venezuela
|
|
Concealed in handbag
|
|
6
|
|
Cocaine
|
|
Addis Ababa
|
|
1183
|
|
Angola
|
|
Concealed in handbag
|
|
7
|
|
Cocaine/ Heroin
|
|
Addis Ababa
|
|
9590
|
|
Indian
|
|
Concealed inside checked-in baggage
|
|
8
|
|
Methaqualone
|
|
Nairobi
|
|
600.05
|
|
Tanzanian
|
|
Concealed inside Sandals
|
|
9
|
|
Methaqualone and Heroin
|
|
Addis Ababa
|
|
3187
|
|
Uganda
|
|
concealed in the side linings of a carton box
|
|
10
|
|
Methaqualone
|
|
Addis Ababa
|
|
4729
|
|
Ethopia
|
|
Concealed inside checked-in baggage
|
|
11
|
|
Heroin
|
|
Nairobi
|
|
902
|
|
Kenya
|
|
In form of capsules swallowed by the pax
|
|
12
|
|
Methaqualone/
Heroin
|
|
Addis Ababa
|
|
2186
|
|
Uganda
|
|
concealed inside baby powder bottle and night cream bottle,14 pouches were concealed in the side linings of a carton box
During Calendar year, 2022, 11 instances of smuggling of exotic species of Wild life viz. Albino Porcupine, White lipped/Red chested Tamarin monkey and Leucistic Sugar Glider, De Brazza Monkey, King Snakes, Ball Pythons and Aldabra Tortoises, etc were detected and these animals were detained under Wildlife Protection Act/CITES and 5 persons were arrested. Wildlife species are mostly smuggled from Bangkok, Thailand.
Apart from the above, seizure of Diamond and other precious stones Valued at Rs. 1.269 crores weighing 5274.18 karats was made in 5 cases and 1 person was arrested. One Antinque Bronze Buddha Statue was also seized.
Chennai Customs has also booked many cases of smuggling cigarettes, electronics & other misc. goods worth Rs. 3.90 Crores in many cases.
|
|
ABSTRACT OF SEIZURES MADE BY Chennai Air Customs in calendar year 2022

|
|
|
|
SL. NO.
|
|
COMMODITY
|
|
NO. OF CASES
|
|
QUANTITY 
|
|
VALUE

|
|
Arrest
|
|
1
|
|
GOLD
|
|
293
|
|
205.849
|
|
94.224
|
|
97
|
|
2
|
|
FOREIGN CURRENCY
|
|
81
|
|
-
|
|
10.978
|
|
7
|
|
3
|
|
NDPS
|
|
12
|
|
27.665 KGS
|
|
14.024
|
|
12
|
|
4
|
|
WILDLIFE
|
|
11
|
|
134 NOS.
|
|
-
|
|
5
|
|
5
|
|
SILVER
|
|
4
|
|
95.376 KGS
|
|
0.485
|
|
-
|
|
6
|
|
DIAMOND AND OTHER PRECIOUS STONES
|
|
5
|
|
5274.18 CT
|
|
1.269
|
|
1
|
|
7
|
|
CIGARETTES, ELECTRONICS & OTHER MISC. GOODS
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
3.903
|
|
-
|
|
8
|
|
ANTIQUE
|
|
1
|
|
1 BRONZE BUDDHA STATUE
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
||
|
Total
|
|
407
|
|
-
|
|
124.883
|
|
122
This information was provided by M.Mathew Jolly, Principal Commissioner of Customs, Chennai International Airport.